Patience

Patience is a virtue, they say, but often, very difficult in the times when it’s needed. The need for patience is always revealed in circumstances, especially ones that are out of our comfort zone. It is very easy to say to someone, “be patient…” when we are not in the situation. I am calling on you to have a paradigm shift; to try and “put yourself in the person’s shoes” (although you can only get to an extent with this and thus, won’t give you a full picture!). All I am saying is, before anything else, try to see things from the person’s perspective first to have a more accurate picture so that you can empathise more appropriately.

What then is patience? Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious according to the Oxford dictionary. First, patience has to do with capacity and then as an act of your will to accommodate circumstances out of your comfort zone without your emotions getting out of hand. It involves being able to put yourself together in difficulty, hoping things will change or at least not become worse off. It is imperative that you note this; patience is a journey. It does not happen overnight.

Having this in mind, we proceed to the book of Romans where Paul writes to the Roman church on some of the pointers to help identify a true Christian and in chapter 12 and verse 12, we see this: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” – Romans 12:12 ESV. Now, the root word for “patience” in Romans 12:12 is the Greek word “hypomenō”, which implies perseverance and not wavering under pressure, just like we saw in the previous paragraph. Let’s unpack this a little bit further, shall we?

Rejoice in hope

Paul is talking about hope and how to relate to it as a true Christian (because there are false Christians but that is a topic for another day!). Hope is believing positively about things to come. Hope is related to faith but futuristic in nature. Faith is in the now and hope is in the future. We need both, but right now, hope is what we are talking about (stay with me and don’t be distracted!). Paul says the way a true Christian relates to hope in this world, is by rejoicing in it. It has to do with joy (refer to previous post on Joy to better understand this please). We must have an attitude of rejoicing which is the verb form of joy, to put it more bluntly. I understand that this is not always easy but snap out of the emotions and decide; even if it means you’d have to speak to someone to help you to decide, in spite of the raging emotions. Do not seclude yourself because that is what the devil wants. Find someone to talk to ASAP!

Be patient in affliction

Affliction isn’t a nice thing to experience, to say the least. But, is Paul being insensitive to what we go through? Certainly not. Instead, he engages the principle of using your will as is not influenced by your emotions, hence the need to be in a community because these things often require someone outside of our situation to help.

Primarily, the Holy Spirit should be our first point of call through prayer. He can choose to deal with it however He pleases, or lead you to someone to help you or bring someone your way. Yours is to discern through the lens of scripture and common sense to know the wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing (the Holy Spirit, as long as is in your life, can move through your common sense, among other means innumerable and beyond our imagination, to help you to discern. This is why we must remain sensitive to Him). First point of call in affliction must be to the Holy Spirit because His other name is, “The Helper”.

Now Paul says we must be patient in affliction. Remember the definition of patience in the second paragraph? Practically, we must ask the Holy Spirit for the enablement to have capacity to go through the affliction without being broken nor our emotions getting out of control. You can reach out to people to stand with you in prayer. Remember not to stay by yourself because “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety”–Proverbs 11:14 NKJV. Then, you decide, as an act of your will to never give up, knowing this one fact; God is good and is with me, in spite of what happens.

Well before I go on, I’d like to point out something and this is it: one thing to note is that in times when you are able, make time to memorise scripture because in the stormy seasons, you will need them.

How then do you decide? Turn to the Bible and find relevant scripture that speak of the promises of God in times of affliction such as Isaiah 40:31 (please find it and read it). In this, I want you to believe what you read from the Bible with all your heart. To remain patient or be long suffering, first you must ask God the Holy Spirit to grant you the enablement to go through the season, praying all kinds of prayer, and then, finding relevant scripture to hold on to while you keep praying.

Be fervent in prayer

Like it reads, you must remain consistent in prayer. Ephesians 6:18 NKJV says this: ^“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”. Being fervent simply means displaying passionate intensity according to the Oxford dictionary. So, pray like your life depends on it and make sure you are expectant.

Now, being patient means this; With an attitude of joy while hoping for the better in your circumstances, decide on the fact that you will remain steadfast in prayer, first asking for the strength and capacity to navigate and also to go through the affliction while praying all kinds of prayer, and in all this, praying passionately and consistently. You must decide to pray, and not allow your emotions to dictate your sound judgement and also find help even if it means so.

Putting it all together

Being joyfully hopeful fuels our ability to be patient in affliction and this is all held together by fervent prayer. Remember, we are designed for community and thus must find or receive the help we need but without strings attached. Patience indeed is a virtue but not effective without the Holy Spirit. It is a part of the Fruit of the Spirit. True patience proceeds from Him and it is only wise to turn to the owner of the virtue to receive guidance and help to effectively make use of the virtue(and as a seed, to be effectively cultivated under the right conditions. All these and more the Holy Spirit does help with. You know what to do!).

You cannot have the Holy Spirit unless you have a relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal saviour. It is never too late and it doesn’t matter what you have done, He is willing to have a restored relationship with you.

To receive Jesus Christ, say with all meaning in your heart, “Dear Lord Jesus, I turn to you and accept you as my Lord and personal saviour this day. I repent and renounce sin, the ways of the world and the devil. I declare this day you are my Lord and personal saviour. Thank you for accepting me. Now I humbly ask that you fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord Jesus, and in your name I have prayed, amen.”

God bless and keep you. Shalom shalom!